The Tenth Circle
Canto XXXV And so we climbed down Satan’s scaly back, And at the tip we found ourselves falling Into an inky black sea of nothingness. The faint light of Cocytus disappeared From our sight and we were surrounded by An eternal and perpetual darkness. We could not feel the force of gravity here. We were no longer at the center of God’s creation. I felt no disgust at unholiness As this place was neither holy nor was it unholy. God was absent from this place. The dark felt absent of both life and death. The Plague Doctor shined a light so we could see better, and before my eyes, countless Souls were aimlessly floating with us in here Most were motionless, some were flailing their Arms and legs. But every one of them lacked Any features. Their faces were blank like an Unpainted canvas. I, holding on to the Plague Doctor's hand so that I may not float Away, asked him why they were featureless. “In life, these damned couldn’t afford to be alone In quiet for even a second. They spent Every passing moment indulging in Any form of entertainment they could Find, so they could quell their boredom. These damned Couldn’t be with their thoughts, so now their mind Is all they have left. Their senses are all gone. The human mind can deteriorate into Madness without any stimuli in Such a short time, and these souls are denied It for all eternity. Their minds are left To rot,” said the Plague Doctor. We floated Close to a soul who was completely still. Just like all the others, its face was gone. I softly grabbed its hand with my own to see If it would react, but it did not stir. It Couldn’t feel me. Upon realizing this, I was overcome with a deep sadness Greater than all that I felt in Hell. These Souls were suffering completely and utterly Alone in their own minds. They likely Believed they were alone in this place As they couldn’t speak, see, or even feel each Other. The Plague Doctor asked if I would like To speak to a soul. I said yes. He waved A hand in front of the face of the soul Who’s hand I was still holding. Suddenly A mouth and ears formed on its face. There was A moment of silence, as if the soul had No idea of what was going on, Then the spirit erupted into a Scream louder and more agonizing Than any I’d heard in Hell. This realm was Endless, and its screams did not echo. No other soul reacted or changed their Motion. The wailing continued unabated. This poor soul had been trapped in its own mind For God knows how long. It seemed like the screams Of a mind that had long since tore itself Apart would never end. The Plague Doctor had To step in. “Silence you damned fool!” I was Taken aback at the doctor’s harshness Toward this soul, but it worked. The screams stopped. “You may speak to it now,” the Plague Doctor Said to me. “What is your name?” I asked the Spirit. “I can hear you,” it spoke. “I can HEAR you! Am I not alone in this place? I thought for so long I was alone here! Oh joy, oh joy, oh joy!” “What is your name? I interrupted. After a moment of silence it spoke again. “My surname Is Hsieh. I cannot remember my First name.” I proceeded to ask it why It was damned here. “I wasted my life away In search of preoccupation with Entertainment. Video games, I played Video games. I remember now. I Passed away from life in a cafe. I played those damn games for so long. I drank No water nor ate any food. I lived For the game. It was my purpose. Of Course I wasn’t sleeping, and after some Time I dozed off, only to find myself Stuck in an endless nightmare. Only this Isn’t a nightmare. I know I must have Died and I’m now in Hell.” Hsieh said. “Not Hell. We’re past that.” The Plague Doctor replied. Hsieh’s mouth made movement as if to Speak again but it suddenly closed up And disappeared along with his ears. He Started flailing around rapidly but My attempts to calm him down were futile. Hsieh was back to his numb state. Just then A figure floated out from behind him. It was a dark, tall, foreboding being. Even before it spoke, I got the sense That it was old. Very old. “Who are you?” I asked. The being responded in a harmony of voices all mashed together. Some voices sounded young, others sounded Ancient. “I am The Void,” it said. I Felt extremely frightened of this being, More frightened by any demon in Hell. I hesitantly asked The Void just What it was. “I am the empty. I am Nothing. ‘Nothing’ does exist. I existed long Before your God. Unlike him, I was not Born. I have always existed. I was What all there was before your God and his Creation. I am neither holy or Unholy. I just am. I am the Void. Without the universe, there is just Emptiness, and that is what I always Was.” I pondered for a moment, then I Asked why these souls were damned here and not in Hell. “The Void is most fitting for them. Their Minds wither away into nothing, as They themselves are in nothing. There is no Hope for them. I am eternal. I have Existed before God, and I will still Exist after God’s death. The Void has always Existed, and it will always exist. Therefore these souls will always exist here.” I was startled by what it said about God. “God will die too?” I asked. “Oh yes, God Will die too, along with all of his creation. The Void will be all that’s left in the end. Only there will be no end as I have no End,” the thing replied. I shook at the thought Of God’s death. Finally my guide spoke up. “Will you help us great one, we need to get to Purgatory. Do you know of it?” “Yes,” It said. And with that, a light appeared below Us. “Maybe I’ll see you again someday,” The Void said to me as The Plague Doctor And I floated through the portal. Upon Exiting this light, we found ourselves at The gates of Purgatory, and although I was still shaken, I was glad to be Out of that place and to be back in God’s Creation, where I could even see the stars. Category:Poetry